A fourth generation (4G) wireless network is an all Internet protocol (IP) wireless access network in which different advanced multimedia application services (e.g., voice over IP (VoIP) content, video content, etc.) are delivered over IP. As wireless network data rates improve using 4G technologies, more and more bandwidth-intensive applications and devices are being developed. For example, some mobile devices, such as smart mobile devices like iPhone and Android devices, may receive high bit rates of 10-50 megabits per second (Mbps) or more, which is significantly more data than a typical cellular phone. In a multiple access network, these different devices and multimedia application services compete for the same air interface and transport network resources.
To differentiate services, mobile operators tend to provide different rate limiting (e.g., a maximum bit rate or an average maximum bit rate) to different subscribers and at the same time provide monthly data usage buckets. However, during periods of network congestion, Quality of Service (QoS) factors may be implemented that fail to account for subscriber rate limiting. Thus, during periods of network congestion and for traffic that is configured with the same QoS value, a subscriber with a higher subscription rate limit may be given the same limit as subscriber with a lower subscription rate limit.